EMP-essay on Cartesian Dualism

Intro

not convincing as does not explain how the mind and body interact if mind not extended

Paragraph 1-definitions

new foundation for knowledge, mechanistic, found in mind not senses. has shown in second meditation that i am a thinking thing, and has proved in sixth that corporeal things exist. Has proven that clear and distinct perceptions are true and we perceive mind and body to be distinct substances. In principles substance is something that depends on nothing else for existence, has one principal attribute.

Paragraph 2-aim

2 aims outlined by hatfield- numerically distinct or different in kind, latter as required for argument for immortality. three conditions-Descartes must prove that ‘a thinking thing can exist as a substance whose sole essence is thought’, that ‘body can exist as a substance whose sole essence is extension’ and that the two are mutually exclusive as ‘mental substance has no bodily modes, and bodily substance has no mental modes’-Hatfield. god can create an idea we can clearly and distinctly understand and we can undertsand the two separately. also notice nothing else in my nature than thinking thing. complete being conclusion- substances can exist separately, not just conceive separately.

Paragraph 3- Rozemond’s interpretation

focus not on whether mind can actually exist without body, but instead on substances and their principal attributes and modes. separability not enough for different substances, must actually be separate. ambiguity in ‘I noticed nothing else…’ notice nothing or do not notice anything-latter easier and could mean mind is extended and we just do not notice

Paragraph 4-complete conception

conception of mind without body must be complete, means needs to have attributes sufficient to recognise as substance. must not be the same attributes as used to show body is complete thing. may have overlapping attributes but cant be used in eachother’s proof, so weaker sense of ‘I noticed…’ sufficient.

Paragraph 5- Princess Elizabeth

how can purely thinking substance causally influence body. movements caused by push or contact, mind is not extended. Descartes replies 3 primitive notions, mind-body union known clearly by senses but not intellect. Elizabeth replies may be unknown properties in mind, may allow it to be extended. either imagine non-mechanistic form of interaction or imagine thought inhering in material substance.